1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a package for handling an individual service portion of a spreadable product and, more specifically, to certain new and useful improvements in the configuration and structure of such packages.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Prior to the 1960's, portioned butter (margarine was then a minimal factor in food service) was pre-packaged, sold to and used by the great majority of eating establishments in small rectangles, called "pats", generally embossed with the insignia of the producer or, in the instance of large chain consumers, with the consumer's own logo.
At that time, it was the practice of feeders such as hospitals, cafeterias, government institutions, airlines, railroads and the like, to take these butter pats and place them on small pieces of rectangular paperboard, approximately two inches square, bent upwards at a shallow angle on four sides, called butter "chips", just prior to each meal.
For example, a cafeteria whose lunch business would start around noon would assign one or more workers to place the loose butter pats on these "chips" about an hour before meal time. The cost at that time for the paperboard "chips", butter pats and labor ran on the order of five cents per pound (at present rates adjusted for inflation this might represent 20 to 30 cents per pound (a very significant number) to which could be added the cost of the packaging materials for the loose butter pats.)
In response to the need to automate the entire aforesaid process, Applicant was granted U.S. Pat. No. 3,129,546 on a machine which produced approximately 1,500 individual portion packages per minute, including forming the butter pats, placing the pats on the paperboard chips and also placing a small piece of parchment paper on the top of each pat. The paperboard chips used in the patented machine were made in an approimate two inch square and bent upwards at a shallow angle along two edges to simulate the aforesaid handmade packages. The paper covering each butter pat had the dual function of providing a degree of protection of the butter against contamination by dirt, dust or other airborne particles and, more importantly, permitted the pats to be stacked one on top of the other.
Butter pats produced by the aforesaid Redmond patented machine and in the aforesaid configuration were extremely successful and have been a staple article of commerce for a number of years. However, despite their enormous commercial success, the aforesaid packages suffered the disadvantage that they were open on four sides, permitting the passage of air about the butter, and thus could become contaminated by dirt, bacteria or the like. Also, these packages could be produced on a misadjusted machine and with inferior materials, and therefore could be of poor quality and sloppy appearance.
As a result of the aforesaid disadvantages, various alternative package structures have been produced in which the butter is completely enclosed, such as placing the butter in a cup or "tub" covered over with a foil-like top, or completely wrapping the butter in foil. However, these packages have suffered other drawbacks in that the materials from which they are made are expensive, their production is slow (on the order of 500/minute), and the equipment required for making them is expensive, unwieldy and complicated. Moreover, these packages are difficult to open and the butter is difficult to remove, invariably resulting in greasy fingers and/or wasted product.
Applicant also recently obtained U.S. Pat. No. 4,493,574 directed to a further alternative structure for providing a sealed butter pat package which also could be manufactured at the same high speed as his original package, but in which the butter pat continued to be centered on an approximate two inch square base or "chip". In this package, upon folding the cover into a three-dimensional shape a pleat is formed which extends over an edge of the base to permit the cover member to be grasped and peeled from both the margins of the base, to which it is peelably adhered, and the butter pat.
Applicant has now discovered a new and novel package structure and configuration which accomplishes a number of advantages and benefits over the aforesaid hand-made butter pat packages and Applicant's own patented automatically produced packages as well as over the various other configurations for sealed butter pat packages.
3. Objects of the Invention
It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved package for storing, shipping and handling an individual service portion of a spreadable product such as a butter pat or the like.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved package for butter pats and the like which effects substantial savings in material costs, handling costs, storage costs and shipping costs over previously known package configurations for pats of butter or similar products.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved package for butter pats and the like which effects substantial savings in material costs and yet results in a substantially stronger package and has greatly improved handleability and storability.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved package for butter pats and the like which has a greatly improved appearance and which can only be produced with properly adjusted machinery resulting in consistency in the quality of the appearance of the packages.
A further object of this invention is to provide a new and improved package for butter pats and the like which is readily adaptable to either a partially open or essentially completely enclosed structure or to a fully enclosed package with or without sealing.
Objects and advantages of the invention are set forth in part herein and in part will be obvious herefrom, or may be learned by practice with the invention, the same being realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and combinations pointed out in the appended claims.
The invention consists in the novel parts, constructions, arrangements, combinations, steps and improvements herein shown and described.